McDonald's Sales Slow as Americans Cut Back on Spending

McDonald's posted strong profits in its second quarter, but sales at home were under pressure due to American consumers being cautious about spending. Same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, edged up 0.8% in the US, down from the 2.5% increase a year ago.

CEO Chris Kempczinski said during the company's earnings call that the US performance was partly hurt by inconsistent execution across its restaurants and marketing programs that didn't meet expectations. The company plans to address this by launching more digital offers nationally, starting next week.

McDonald's also named a new head of the US market, Skye Anderson, who will be president of McDonald's USA. The company has jostled its menu and tried to lure cost-conscious customers with value meals and other specials.